This invention relates to a magnetic card holder which can be secured to a magnet attracting surface such as a refrigerator, cabinet or the like with means for locking a card in the holder by a flexible transparent window which may be unlocked to permit insertion of a new card in the holder.
Magnetized card holders are presently available for quick reference in kitchens or offices or the like such as illustrated in patents to Stone U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,709; Birnbaum U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,937; Eastman U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,659; Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,537; Wenkman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,991 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,323; Wu Publication No. U.S. 2002/0133992 A1; Lage U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,602; Penner Des. U.S. Pat. No. 325,048; and Coe Des. U.S. Pat. No. 377,808.
The Wenkman et al. patents above and Painsith U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,377 typically show front loading frame-type devices in which the window is snapped into place and removed by applying thumb pressure on the back through a hole which will allow for pushing of the window and card outwardly from the frame.
Some of the references referred to above apply adhesive to the card making it difficult if not impossible to replace the card in a frame with a new card.
An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic display device for magnetically attaching the device to a magnet attracting surface such as a refrigerator, cabinet or the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which will securely hold the card in position on the surface on which it is posted.
A further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holding device having means for replacing the old card with a new card.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which locks the window in position, but permits the window to be unlocked from the frame for replacement with a new card.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a card holder which does not require the use of an adhesive material for mounting the card.
Another object of this invention is to provide a card holder which maintains the card in proper alignment with the frame thus creating an attractive appearance.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide an attractive display device suitable for use with advertisements, photographs, business cards, and the like.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic card holder in which the material for the flexible magnetic card receiving frame and the flexible transparent and removable window have memory so that they will return to their original state after being flexed to unlock the window from the frame to position a new card.
In summary, this invention relates to a magnetic card holder which provides a transparent cover for the card to protect the surface thereof for proper viewing, but also permits ease in removing the transparent window to remove the card and replace the same with a new card.